Feb 2022

Contents Dancing Emanon A Gift from Choreographer Jamar Roberts 1-22

From The NYCI Behind the Scenes at Martha’s Vineyard 23-39

We’re Here Together Dance Theatre of Harlem Artists on Collaborating With NYCB 40-60

Dancing

Emanon A Gift From Choreographer Jamar Roberts By Madelyn Sutton

1

n

Nature and nurture share center

stage

Roberts’

in

Emanon

Jamar –

In

Tw o

Movements,

where

the

performers’

innate

musicality enables their individuality

to

shine

through the steps.

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3

— i t ’s

one of the most iconic quotes from NYCB Co-Founder

George Balanchine. The phrase captures his love of and devotion to the often challenging, complex music he chose to work with, as well as his penchant for abstract, nonn a r r a t i v e b a l l e t s ; b u t i t ’s m o s t o f t e n r e p e a t e d i n r e f e r e n c e t o t h e p r i m a c y o f m u s i c a l i t y i n h i s c h o r e o g r a p h y. T h i s same aphorism arose several times when we spoke with the NYCB dancers who originated roles in choreographer Jamar R o b e r t s ’ E m a n o n — I n Tw o M o v e m e n t s , w h i c h p r e m i e r e d o n our Lincoln Center stage on February 3. “ I c a n s e e B a l a n c h i n e ’s i n f l u e n c e s o c l e a r l y i n t h i s w o r k , ” s a y s Soloist Emily Kikta. “At every point in the process, Jamar emphasized how the dance needed to match or highlight the music. Right up until the premiere he was making sure we were dancing with the right musicality at all times so that we showed the music with our bodies.”

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R o b e r t s h i m s e l f t o l d T h e N e w Yo r k T i m e s i n a r e c e n t i n t e r v i e w about his commission for the Company that he had been “thinking about Balanchine,” and was “obsessed” with VHS tapes of the c h o r e o g r a p h e r ’s w o r k w h e n h e w a s a s t u d e n t , r e m a r k i n g , “ I c o u l d probably dance all of Agon.” Fans of Roberts’ work as a dancer and Resident Choreographer at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater may be surprised to learn that much of his early training was in ballet, a n d t h a t h e h a s p e r f o r m e d i n w o r k s b y W i l l i a m F o r s y t h e a n d Wa y n e McGregor in the not-so-distant past. Corps de Ballet Member Jonathan Fahoury similarly noted the p r e s e n c e o f M r. B i n R o b e r t s ’ c h o r e o g r a p h y f o r E m a n o n . “ Yo u s e e the inspiration of Balanchine coming through the work from the m u s i c a l i t y, t h e p a c e o f t h e b a l l e t , a n d t h e i n t r i c a c i e s o f t h e s t e p s , ” he says. “This ballet is no easy task. There is the feeling of giving everything you have at that moment in time. Which is the very thing t h a t B a l a n c h i n e ’s b a l l e t s b r i n g o u t o f d a n c e r s . ” R o b e r t s ’ c h o i c e f o r t h e w o r k ’s s c o r e s h o w s a B a l a n c h i n e - e s q u e admiration for contemporary composition as well—particularly because the music isn’t immediately recognizable as suited for ballet. Released in 2018 as a three-disc or three-vinyl set with a n a c c o m p a n y i n g s c i - f i g r a p h i c n o v e l , W a y n e S h o r t e r ’s E m a n o n combines freewheeling bebop-inflected jazz with an upbeat o r c h e s t r a l c o u n t e r p o i n t , a n d a m u l t i v e r s e - s p a n n i n g p h i l o s o p h e r ’s tale. The music juxtaposes improvisation and pop culture with the classical, a fitting metaphor for the meeting of modern and n e o c l a s s i c a l d a n c e r e a l i z e d i n R o b e r t s ’ c h o r e o g r a p h y.

1 5

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“Heading into a new work, you never really know what t o e x p e c t , ” s a y s S o l o i s t E m m a Vo n E n c k . “ I t w a s e x c i t i n g y e t i n t i m i d a t i n g t o h e a r t h e m u s i c t h a t f i r s t d a y. ”

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“Often jazz can be less strictly structured

in

its

form

than

o t h e r g e n r e s . H o w e v e r, o n c e we heard it a couple of times, we could pick out rhythms and subtle

nuances

choreography

that

J a m a r ’s

accentuated.

Every rehearsal became a fun game, as if it were a race between the dancers and the music. Some days the music won. But by the end of the process, matching the m u s i c b e c a m e m u s c l e m e m o r y, allowing us to push the steps further with each run,” Soloist Emma continues. “ We

spent

so

much

time

understanding the music and its accents and swerves,” adds Soloist

Jovani

Furlan.

“I’m

still working on it; even in the premiere I found new nuances that I hadn’t explored in the rehearsals yet.”

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As each of the dancers related, Roberts tempered the wild, unfamiliar qualities of the score with a clear yet malleable vision of the work. “Jamar came in knowing what he wanted from the get-go,” says Furlan. “The first thing he did was the solo I performed, which was originally choreographed for [Soloist] Harrison Ball. In the minute and a half solo, there are no wasted moments, each step connects t o t h e n e x t i n t h e m o s t c o o r d i n a t e d a n d m u s i c a l w a y. ” “I feel like Jamar saw us as specific dancers, and made all these little dances [within the work] that are suited specifically to our s t r e n g t h s , ” a d d s P r i n c i p a l D a n c e r A n t h o n y H u x l e y. “ H e w a s o p e n to making sure we felt comfortable in the dance so that it really s h o w e d o f f e a c h i n d i v i d u a l d a n c e r.

“ i t ’s q u i t e special to be a living dancer working with a living choreographer”

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“ Wo r k i n g w i t h J a m a r h a s b e e n a d r e a m a n d a p l e a s u r e , because he is such a kind, warm person, and he feels v e r y o p e n a n d r e c e p t i v e i n t h e s p a c e , s o i t ’s m o r e o f a conversation between the two of us when he comes into the room,” agrees Principal Dancer Indiana Wo o d w a r d . “ H e w o u l d s e t t h e s t e p s a n d t h e i m a g e that he wanted, and the work that he wanted to see on each individual—and he seemed like he had done his research and catered to each dancer—but then o n c e i t w a s o n t h e d a n c e r, h e m o l d e d i t a n d s h a p e d it so that it really fit us as well as his vision. He was giving us an opportunity to understand the work, and then make it our own, which was pretty special. And then at the end of the process, he was like, ‘I’ve given y o u w h a t I w a n t t o g i v e y o u … T h i s i s y o u r s n o w. ’ I thought that was really special for a choreographer to tell us, and it made us feel like it was a piece that was close to our hearts as well as his.”

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This intermingling of Roberts’ vision with the unique attributes and strengths of the dancers reflects a coinciding blend of classical

technique

c h o r e o g r a p h e r ’s

with

the

v o c a b u l a r y.

While that mixture is evident throughout

the

work,

one

s o l o i n p a r t i c u l a r, c r e a t e d o n F a h o u r y, s t a n d s o u t a s a s i n g u l a r utterance. “This solo means a lot to me—I don’t even know w h e r e t o b e g i n , ” s a y s F a h o u r y. “I didn’t know what to expect going into our first rehearsal, but as soon as he started creating the material with me, I was thrilled. It felt as though he was taking steps that felt authentic within him and letting them translate organically within me.

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“He had told me in one of our first rehearsals that he wanted this solo to not be “performative.” He wanted the intention to be an intimate, internal experience rather than a performance for the audience. He also gave me permission to explore a range of emotions throughout this solo, specifically the feeling of loneliness.

Not only was it special to have something like this created on me, but also the intentions he gave me were concepts I immediately resonated with. The movement in this solo gives me the permission to be my most authentic and present self, and that is the greatest gift an artist can be given. I am so grateful that Jamar trusts me with this solo and I am beyond excited to be given the opportunity to have an experience like t h i s , i n t h i s t h e a t e r. ”

A sense of freedom within an established structure, a collaboration that merges both defined classical footwork and a spirit of spontaneity: Emanon reflects the score not only in the details, but in the way in which it was created. “Jamar expressed a clear vision while simultaneously giving the dancers room t o e x p e r i m e n t , ” s a y s Vo n E n c k .

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“Just

before

the

premiere,

he explained that his role as choreographer was finished and that he now gave the ballet to us. As classically trained ballet dancers, we spend most of our days trying to mold ourselves to s p e c i f i c r o l e s . I f o u n d J a m a r ’s approach to be inspiring and liberating.

We

spent

weeks

building the framework of the piece

and

then

were

given

license to experience freedom within that structure. During rehearsals, I

would

if

I

messed

frantically

utter

up, an

a p o l o g y, t e l l i n g h i m I w o u l d g e t it next time. He assured me that I already had the part, and he was not concerned. He knew I would get it.

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“Some days can feel like a never-

The environment developed

ending audition as we try to live

within the rehearsal studio is

up to others’ expectations, as

perhaps more essential now

well as our own,” adds Von Enck.

than in previous years, as the

“Throughout this process, we were

dancers and the artists they

encouraged to be our genuine

work with return to a shared

selves in t he stud io, whet her it

space after so many months of

was a good day or not.”

uncertainty and isolation. “I got to work with both Sidra Bell

Wo o d w a rd e c h o e d t h i s s e n t i m e n t :

and now Jamar on new works

“A lot of the time, we are the

for NYCB since the pandemic

interpreters of previous works

[began],” says Kikta.

that

were

created

on

other

p e o p l e , ” s h e s a y s . “ I t h i n k i t ’s quite special to be a living dancer working with a living c h o r e o g r a p h e r, a n d f e e l i n g l i k e he appreciates and loves your dancing so much that he wants to honor it with his work. I felt like t h a t w a s t r a n s l a t e d t h ro u g h e a c h dancer that was in the piece, and each section within the work that he created on each person.”

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“ I t f e e l s d i ff e re n t n o w, p e r h a p s more

intimate.

T h e r e ’s

a

sensitivity to how chaotic and confusing so much of what is going on right now is, and I f e e l t h a t w e a re a l l j u s t m e e t i n g each other where we are each

“It kind of felt like riding a

day and seeing what comes of

b i k e , ” a g r e e s H u x l e y. “ A t f i r s t

that. Also, after spending so

I thought it would be really

much time trying to create via

strange, not having rehearsed

Zoom or from long distances,

anything and getting to find

sharing the same physical space

my way again. But after a

makes creating dance seem

couple of days, it just felt

easier and more organic. After

normal again, and it felt good

many months of feeling so much

to feel like nothing has been

resistance in trying to create

lost. The time might’ve been

d a n c e , i t ’s n i c e f o r i t t o f e e l

lost, but we just got right

e a s y, a n d e v e n n a t u r a l , a g a i n . ”

back to it.”

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J a m a r R o b e r t s ’ E m a n o n – I n Tw o M o v e m e n t s i s s e t t o P e g a s u s a n d P r o m e t h e u s U n b o u n d f r o m W a y n e S h o r t e r ’s Emanon. The Resident Choreographer of Alvin Ailey A m e r i c a n D a n c e T h e a t e r, R o b e r t s p r e v i o u s l y c r e a t e d a p i e c e f o r f i l m , W a t e r R i t e , a s p a r t o f N Y C B ’s d i g i t a l N e w Wo r k s F e s t i v a l i n 2 0 2 0 . W i t h a c a s t o f e i g h t d a n c e r s , E m a n o n – I n Tw o M o v e m e n t s i s h i s f i r s t s t a g e w o r k f o r N Y C B , a n d f e a t u r e s c o s t u m e d e s i g n b y J e r m a i n e Te r r y, a n d s e t a n d l i g h t i n g d e s i g n b y B r a n d o n S t i r l i n g B a k e r.

Choreographer Jamar Roberts Music Wayne Shorter Prometheus Unbound; Pegasus Premiere February 3, 2022, New York City Ballet, David H. Koch Theater Original Cast Emily Kikta, Unity Phelan, Emma Von Enck, Indiana Woodard, Jonathan Fahoury, Jovani Furlan, Anthony Huxley, Peter Walker Costumes Jermaine Terry Set Brandon Stirling Baker Lighting Brandon Stirling Baker

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